Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (Finland), shares the concerns of many European leaders regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiatives aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. These concerns stem from ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Russia that exclude Ukraine. Kauma firmly believes that no credible peace agreement can be reached without Ukraine’s direct involvement. At the same time, she emphasizes the need for Ukraine to have strong support during such negotiations.
In her opinion, Turkey could play a significant role in this process, particularly through its senior diplomat Feridun Sinirlioglu, who has served as OSCE Secretary General since December 2024. Additionally, the OSCE chairing nations — Finland, which holds the presidency this year, and neutral Switzerland, set to assume leadership in 2026 — could also contribute meaningfully.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Pia Kauma discussed the prospects for a peaceful resolution, the role of the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly, the recent exclusion of Russian representatives from the latter, and the implications of Trump’s “America First” policy for European security.
AN IMPERIALIST WAR CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY FORCE
– Madam President, this is the fourth Winter Meeting of the OSCE PA amid three long and bloody years of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine – a war that the international community has so far been unable to stop. How do you assess the OSCE PA’s role in shaping a more effective international response to this Russian war?
– Well, I think we are going through very turbulent times. In fact, I visited Ukraine just last week. I went to Kyiv with 12 parliamentarians from different countries. We held a Bureau meeting in Kyiv, and that is one way of showing support for Ukraine.
One of the main objectives of our visit to Ukraine was to find out firsthand what we can do to help Ukraine in the peace process, both during the process and after the peace agreement is signed.
– And what could the OSCE PA do here?
– The most important thing, of course, is to do what we do in general terms: offer a platform for dialogue.
In addition, we established a Parliamentary Support Team for Ukraine in 2023 during our Annual Session in Vancouver. Since then, the team has met several times, and we have appointed three different rapporteurs to focus on the key issues Ukraine is facing, based on how we organize our work here in the Assembly. This means that, within the framework of the three committees we have, the first addresses core political issues, the second focuses on economic and environmental matters, and the third deals with humanitarian issues.
For example, we met with the Human Rights Ombudsman in Ukraine to discuss the children forcibly displaced from Ukraine to Russia, and how these children can be traced and brought back to their families in Ukraine.
– Speaking more generally about the OSCE, don’t you think that the time has come for transformation and reform of the entire OSCE structure to ensure it can effectively respond to modern realities and challenges?
– What kind of changes are you referring to?
– I mean, first of all, Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. As I said before, the international community has been unable to stop the war, including the OSCE. Maybe it needs reform, transformation, so it can have more instruments to respond.
– Yes, I have heard that many times, that we were not able to stop the war.
But who could have done it, quite honestly? When a country has imperialistic ideas, it is very difficult to intervene, unless you speak with force – and I mean military force.
RUSSIA SUSPENDED ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE OSCE PA AFTER IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DE FACTO SUSPENDED
– In July 2024, Russia suspended its participation in the OSCE PA, accusing the Assembly of “total Russophobia” and “unpreparedness for meaningful discussions”. I’m wondering, was there really “total Russophobia” in the OSCE PA, as Moscow claims? How has it been for you personally to lead the Assembly without Russian representatives present now? Has the atmosphere changed?
– I have a feeling that the Russian delegation wanted to take the lead in their own hands by suspending their participation, but as a matter of fact, they had been effectively suspended already by many countries before. They could not attend the 2022 Annual Session in Birmingham, nor the 2023 session in Vancouver, or the Bucharest session last year, simply because these hosting countries did not issue them visas.
– Do you have any insight into the duration of Russia’s suspension, and is there any hope that they will not return?
– I would imagine it all depends on what happens with peace talks and how this war ends.
Of course, the Parliamentary Assembly is always linked to the governmental side of the OSCE. So basically, as long as Russia remains a participating state in the OSCE, they always have the possibility to return to the Parliamentary Assembly as well.
UKRAINE NEEDS SUPPORT AT PEACE TALKS
– Regarding the peace talks, as the U.S. appears to be positioning itself as the main actor in potential peace talks, there are growing concerns in Ukraine and Europe that Washington might not fully take into account the interests of Ukraine and its European allies. How do you assess the potential risks of a Trump-led negotiation process that sidelines Ukrainian and European voices?
– I’m very concerned about that. Actually, I was in Ukraine, in Kyiv, just last week when we heard about the peace talks taking place in Saudi Arabia between the United States and Russia, but without Ukraine’s direct involvement. It was basically a discussion between Russia and the U.S. only. I also wanted to find out what the Ukrainian leadership thinks about that, and of course, they were very concerned as well.
I believe there won’t be any reliable peace agreement without Ukraine’s presence. You need to have your say in that process.
I’d also suggest having some kind of advisory body or a country supporting you in these negotiations. If it’s just the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, especially given the public statements from Mr. Trump, I worry that Ukraine would be too alone in this process. You’d need someone by your side to back you up.
– And could you elaborate a bit on this advisory body? Who could support Ukraine in the negotiations, in your opinion?
– As I see it, all the contracting parties involved in these negotiations need to be approved by the members taking part in the process. So, as the Parliamentary Assembly president, I can only make suggestions on who those partners could be.
I was in Turkey two weeks ago to see what their position might be in the future, possibly even in these negotiations, especially since the new Secretary General of the OSCE’s governmental side is Turkish by nationality. Turkey, as you know, is a very important country in that area.
– So, the new Secretary General of the OSCE, being a Turkish diplomat, could also play a role here?
– That’s one possibility, but we also need to consider other options. For example, the chairing countries of the OSCE. My own country, Finland, of course, is one option.
And then, if we think about next year’s Chairmanship, it will be Switzerland. Switzerland isn’t part of the European Union and has a neutral stance in many respects. It could be a country that all contracting parties might accept.
– And do you believe that there is still a realistic path to peace without full accountability for all of Russia’s actions and atrocities committed in Ukraine?
– No, and I’m glad you asked about this because it’s something that has been completely lacking in the negotiations between the United States and Russia.
There must be full accountability from Russia, both for the human lives that have been lost, those who have been injured and maimed, and for the infrastructure that has been destroyed in Ukraine, but also for Ukraine’s ability to survive the war economically.
So there are many factors to consider, but I think the most important thing is, of course, holding Russia accountable for the lives that have been lost in this war.
ZELENSKY WAS ELECTED IN LEGITIMATE ELECTIONS, AND DURING MARTIAL LAW, ELECTIONS ARE NOT POSSIBLE
– President Trump has labeled President Zelenskyy a dictator and accused him, rather than Putin, of being responsible for the war. How do you evaluate these assertions in the context of the ongoing Russian war of aggression?
– I think there are at least two ways to interpret the situation.
One is that this is simply a negotiation tactic to try to save Putin’s face in the talks, and then, maybe afterwards, be more realistic about Russia’s actual responsibility in all this.
The other option, of course, is the worst one – that Mr. Trump actually means what he’s saying. I’d be very concerned if that’s the case, because we know here in the Parliamentary Assembly that Mr. Zelenskyy was elected through legitimate elections.
And since martial law is in place in Ukraine at the moment, it’s impossible to hold reliable elections because it’s not possible for candidates to campaign or for people to safely go to polling stations to vote. So, simply put, it’s not possible at this point.
EUROPE MUST TAKE LEADERSHIP ON ITS OWN TERRITORY
– How do you think the new U.S. foreign policy, with its more isolationist “America First” approach, will affect security and cooperation in Europe?
– I think the objectives of the United States, as they define them, to be stronger and gain economic profit in all their relations, are not exceptional because I believe all nations think alike. It’s a question of how you implement that kind of policy and whether you think short-term or long-term.
What Europe is aiming for here is to achieve and restore long-term peace in Ukraine, not just a ceasefire or truce, followed by a return to a hot war in Europe a few years later.
We also need Europe to take leadership on issues that directly affect our own territory, including Ukraine. This is not only about Ukraine; it’s about Europe and what will happen here in the coming years, and we need to take charge.
We have been lacking leadership so far, and I really hope that one of the heads of state will step up and provide that leadership. If that’s not possible, then we must rely on our European Commission to take the lead.
– A year ago, during our interview, you mentioned that Russia’s war of aggression must be stopped and that Ukraine needs military support to win, as Russia only listens to military power. Given the developments over the past year and in the last few days, what would you say about this now?
– Well, I think the supporters of Ukraine have tried to support Ukraine militarily and when it comes to humanitarian aid and all that, but I’m afraid the aid has come too late and there has been too little of aid.
You would have needed much more than that in order to be more successful in the war.
Vasyl Korotkyi, Vienna
Photo credit: Ukrinform
Source: Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
